12: Murder On The Rising Star

[Eric Paddon]

This thread will be for discussion on changes etc. on adapting episode #12 "Murder On The Rising Stars", conforming the story to a continuous season arc storyline.

[Senmut]

I would have liked to see more on Apollo's background at the Academy. To what extent did he study "The Codes"? I also think Sire Solon was an interesting character. Did he once serve on the Council? How did he obtain his rank as Sire? This aspect of Colonial culture would have been nice to explore more fully.

[BRG]

I wonder if they use the title "Sire" similar to the way we use the title "Lord".

In our parliment, we have a number of politically appointed Lords( usually ex ministers or shadow ministers) and a number of hereditary Lords. But senior judges also are given the title of "Lord" eg- Lord Justice Wolfe. In the Royal Navy the head officer has the title 'First Sea Lord'. And the top religious leaders in the country- Archbishops, Cardinals, Rabbis ect, all have the same status as Lord's, and are given seats in the Upper House.

So perhaps the term Sire is given to anybody in such a high position in Colonial society, including but not exclucivly the Council of 12.
BRG

[justjackrandom]

Originally Posted by BRG

I wonder if they use the title "Sire" similar to the way we use the title "Lord".

In our parliment, we have a number of politically appointed Lords( usually ex ministers or shadow ministers) and a number of hereditary Lords. But senior judges also are given the title of "Lord" eg- Lord Justice Wolfe. In the Royal Navy the head officer has the title 'First Sea Lord'. And the top religious leaders in the country- Archbishops, Cardinals, Rabbis ect, all have the same status as Lord's, and are given seats in the Upper House.

So perhaps the term Sire is given to anybody in such a high position in Colonial society, including but not exclucivly the Council of 12.
BRG

“Sire”, in archaic usage, is synonymous with “Lord”. I have always assumed if Adama was not a “Commander”, he would be addressed as “Sire”.

JJR

[Eric Paddon]

Okay, to pick up where I left off with my description of what I did with "Man With Nine Lives." I incorporated the action of this story into MWNL to give it a better sense of flow, and I think since both are Starbuck oriented episodes that lends itself to this kind of adaptation.

Since the "mystery" part of the episode IMO doesn't work, at least from a narrative writing style that's why I previously established Charybdis/Pallan and his connection to Ortega in previous episode adaptations starting with Saga, because this allowed me to get inside the character's mind better and also pay closer attention to just what was the nature of his murder plan and how it was he came to frame Starbuck, since that had to be a spur of the moment thing.

I decided that initially, Charybdis planned to make Chella the fall-guy, since he was also being blackmailed by Ortega, and his presence in that area where he could finger Starbuck leaving the scene could not have been coincidental. And that Charybdis had planned on luring Chella down there (hence the reason why Chella was there) and would kill him, then Ortega and make it look like they killed each other. But Starbuck getting ejected and being in that area as well forced him to change those plans and take a gamble that Starbuck's pistol would be unguarded in the locker room, which enabled Starbuck to get framed. Complex I admit, but the best explanation I could come up with under the circumstances.

Also, building off TMWNL it was important to keep Chameleon around and perhaps have a scene where he comes close to telling Starbuck the truth because of Starbuck's plight, but in the end not doing so.

I made some changes as well to the whole murder tribunal itself which IMO was too quick and forced. I extended the sequences to show Apollo questioning other witnesses and then finally being forced into playing his hunch at episode's end as a desperation tactic once its clear that he's not handling matters as well. And to foreshadow "Take The Celestra" I had Commander Kronus presiding over the Tribunal with Adama and showing his annoying penchant for precision to regulations. This also enabled me to give Aurora a cameo at episode's end where she can quietly express her relief that Starbuck was exonerated.

There was a lot of additional retooling I did in this episode because by itself it really doesn't work well (and Carlson and McDonnell admitted they had to come up with the script in 48 hours) and strangely its because of those weaknesses that enable it to be a lot of additional fun in terms of carrying out a "reimgaing" concept that still manages to stay true to the basic plot points and continuity of the original.

[Senmut]

Originally Posted by Eric Paddon

I decided that initially, Charybdis planned to make Chella the fall-guy, since he was also being blackmailed by Ortega, and his presence in that area where he could finger Starbuck leaving the scene could not have been coincidental. And that Charybdis had planned on luring Chella down there (hence the reason why Chella was there) and would kill him, then Ortega and make it look like they killed each other. But Starbuck getting ejected and being in that area as well forced him to change those plans and take a gamble that Starbuck's pistol would be unguarded in the locker room, which enabled Starbuck to get framed. Complex I admit, but the best explanation I could come up with under the circumstances.

And a brilliant one. I'm not sucking up when I say it's a plot twist worthy of Agatha Christie or Rex Stout. And it works to perfection in this adaptation.

[Eric Paddon]

Thank you for the flattering comparison! Though truth be told, it's one of those things I like doing where you can start with the basic plot idea the original Galactica writers came up with and then have the luxury to just work on the technical details of straightening out the continuity lapse.

Constructing a legit whodunnit though, where the suspense is maintained up to the end before the killer is unmasked is something I'd be lousy at, since the temptation to drop the obvious clues would be too great (probably one reason why I love "Columbo" so much where you always know the killer's ID in the opening sequence).

[Senmut]

I agree. I like Coloumbo for that reason, too. It could not work, however, in the context of a show like BSG. To do it justice, MOTRS needed to be two hours, simply because a SciFi show generally has other stuff that a whodunnit type show does not, and this limits the "detecting" time.

[Senmut]

Right?

[Eric Paddon]

Right, right!!

[Senmut]

Exactly.

[Pegasus4]

I always wondered why they acted like they could only clear Starbuck before Tribunal. the original ep implied that they were only allowed to do so before the trial and not after. If he were found guilty and then the real killer found 2 weeks later wouldn't Starbuck's record be cleared and him released and reinstated with a full apology? I would hope so.

of course I doubt Apollo and Boomer (or Adama) wanted Starbuck even briefly humiliated. But if he was convicted and imprisoned and cleared later Starbuck would surely love the big party thrown him after his return to the Galactica.

[Pegasus4]

I noticed recently that you left out Baltar's remark about Starbuck having enemies on the prison barge and wouldn't live long enough to reach his cell.

Good. I wondered what enemies he would have there. Wouldn't they like him as his viper skills defending the fleet include them too?

[Senmut]

I think he might have meant the Nomen. They would doubtless not remember Starbuck with affection.

[Athene]

I was watching this last night. I think it's a very well acted episode.
It ranks as one of my favourites.

[LZaza]

It was one of my favourites too. I actually liked the swift justice system that the Colonials meted out. It proved they had little tolerance for termination, and in a people at war with Cylons, that made a lot of sense to me.

One other little thing I would change would be the ambrosa. I remember seeing that bright red liquid that looked more like Koolaid than any fine liquor, which is how they depicted ambrosa in the Long Patrol. I thought ambrosa should be a dark amber, more reminiscent of a fine scotch. I don't mess with canon often when I write, but in that case, I made an exception.

[Senmut]

Actually, more like a fine vin rose, Zaz.....

[Athene]

Originally Posted by LZaza

It was one of my favourites too. I actually liked the swift justice system that the Colonials meted out. It proved they had little tolerance for termination, and in a people at war with Cylons, that made a lot of sense to me.

One other little thing I would change would be the ambrosa. I remember seeing that bright red liquid that looked more like Koolaid than any fine liquor, which is how they depicted ambrosa in the Long Patrol. I thought ambrosa should be a dark amber, more reminiscent of a fine scotch. I don't mess with canon often when I write, but in that case, I made an exception.

I think ambrosa is more along the lines of a very fine wine.
Perhaps, that's what they were going for.
I'm not 100% sure what ambrosa was made of exactly, but, I think from a fruit like grapes grown on the Colonial worlds.

This episode too is one of my favourites.